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politics

Appeals court limits Trump DOJ access to journalists' LinkedIn records

Federal appeals court blocks Trump DOJ from accessing journalists' private LinkedIn messages in leak investigation

Updated 1 min read

Published by Agyata NewsroomEditorial policyCorrections

Key points

  • A federal appeals court unanimously limited the Trump administration's access to journalists' private LinkedIn message data.
  • Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson ruled the government request was overbroad and could expose confidential sources.
  • The targeted journalists reported on nearly 1,000 stories during the relevant period.

Why it matters. The ruling establishes a legal boundary preventing the government from using broad data requests to investigate journalists, potentially protecting press freedom and confidential sources from exposure during national security inquiries.

Updated Sources: Thehill, Wikipedia: LinkedIn

A federal appeals court unanimously blocked the Trump administration from accessing 18 months of private LinkedIn messages for journalists investigating a national security leak. Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson ruled the government's request was overbroad because it could expose confidential sources unrelated to the specific military operation story. The panel noted that the targeted reporters covered nearly 1,000 stories on diverse issues, many far removed from the alleged leak.

Latest updates

Appeals court limits Trump DOJ access to journalists' LinkedIn records

A federal appeals court's three-judge panel unanimously limited the Trump administration's access to journalists' LinkedIn records on Tuesday. The ruling, written by Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson, restricts the Justice Department's attempt to use these private chat logs and professional profiles in a national security leak investigation. The court suggested that the administration's broad access could impart a damaging blow to First Amendment rights. This decision marks a significant legal hurdle for the DOJ in its ongoing efforts to identify sources of classified information. The ruling underscores the tension between national security investigations and the privacy rights of the press.

ThehillWikipedia: LinkedIn

Sources

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